7 Lessons

I'm on the email  list for life coach Cheryl Richardson, in the email she offers these tips to new grads, though the message could apply to one of any age.

" 

Dear Class,

For the last fifteen years I've worked as a coach helping people to create great lives. I've guided artists, entrepreneurs, corporate employees, or moms and dads through the process of identifying their goals and crafting an action plan, and then I've held them accountable for taking the actions that will improve the quality of their lives. I've learned a lot about what makes for a great life - a life that honors who we really are - our values and most treasured priorities. And I've learned about what gets in

the way.

Today I'd like to share 7 lessons with you in the hopes that it makes a positive difference as you set out on the next exciting phase of your life.

1. Spend more time on the who rather than the what. What you do will always be less important than who you become. Knowledge is great but it will never take you as far as your courage, your integrity, your reputation for someone who keeps his or her word, or your commitment to be of service to others in an important way. As you go through life, you will face challenges and obstacles.  When you do, get in the habit of asking yourself the following three questions:

• How can I grow from this experience?
• What qualities of character am I being called to develop?
  
• How can I use this event to make me a better person?

2. Follow your heart. Pay far more attention to what you think than what everyone else thinks.  The most important relationship you'll ever have is with you. When I think about the regrets I've heard from adults over the years, the biggest ones always have to do with listening to everyone else but themselves. Start now. Make your own rules and follow them. At the end of your life, the most important person you'll have to answer to is you.

3. Develop a strong "maverick muscle." Be willing to bend the rules, learn how to disappoint others gracefully, get comfortable with people not liking you, and always strive to be an original thinker. I have a little sign in my office that says: "No Guts, No Glory" and I use it to remind me to go against the grain whenever necessary.  Allow yourself to be the unique spirit that you were meant to be.  Trust me.  Your willingness to rock the boat will set you apart from 95% of the people you meet throughout your life.

4. Build your courage muscles. Starting tomorrow, practice doing one small thing a day that frightens you. Learn to water ski, ask someone out on a date, go for that promotion you keep dreaming about, or learn to dance. Small acts of courage strengthen your ability to take even bigger leaps later on like deciding to write your own book or run for political office. If you really want to build your courage muscles, take a public speaking course.  Twenty years ago I allowed someone to drag me to a Toastmaster's Meeting - an international speech club - and it changed the course of my life forever.  Courage builds confidence and confident people rarely settle for less.

5. Don't go to the hardware store for milk. When you're excited about doing something new, make sure you turn to those people who will encourage you to take a chance - the ones who believe in you rather than those who will tell you why an idea won't work. Surround yourself with positive people - the kind of people who challenge you to reach beyond your fear rather than play it safe. There will always be people telling you why an idea is risky, or why you can't do something. That advice is usually based on the mistakes they've made or the chances they didn't take because they were afraid. Always remember this: Someone's past does not equal your future. When faced with a naysayer, smile, say thank you, and turn around. Stick with positive people who believe in you. Remember, if you needed milk, you wouldn't go to the hardware store.

By the way, you're mom was right. You do become who you hang around with. Choose your friends wisely :).

6. Live by this mantra: Where there's a will, there's a way. Don't give up, especially when things get hard, and don't ever let anyone or anything put limits on you.

7. Stay connected. Your use of technology - email or texting, for example - will never replace the value of a live connection with someone. Every now and then pick up the phone and call a friend or visit a loved one rather than send an email or text message. Too often I've seen technology draw a wedge between people. When we come to the end of our lives, it's who we loved and who loved us that matters most.  Make "in-person" time a priority.

Finally, at the time you were born you were given an amazing gift - a gift that most of us forget about as we grow older. It's the power to design your own unique life. You are an artist. The canvas is your life. From this moment on, take ownership of this gift and use it wisely. If you do, your life will become an extraordinary work of art. Congratulations!"

Magic Carpet Ride

The Winnipeg Gliding Club http://www.wgc.mb.ca/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 has a base near Starbuck, Manitoba. Spring flooding of the Red River in southern Manitoba meant wet soaked runways at the Starbuck Gliderport base and forced a temporary redeployment to the former RCAF - CAF airbase at Southport (just south of Portage la Prairie Manitoba).

As the weekend approaches, WGC club member "Art Grant " fires off a series of emails that get eveyone pumped about flying Saturday, the "weather" is looking great, when should we start, who is coming. I have not yet meet Art Grant but just the happy tone of his emails gets me eager about heading out to Southport.

I've been to the Portage base many times to watch airshows but never as a sprog (student pilot of any kind). I was excited about this opportunity to see Southport from the other side and most of all to take my first glider flights.

By the time I get my self organized, its' already 8:15 am and I also have to stop for gas, it's the long weekend and the gas companies have jacked up the price a few more cents to show their love for the consumer, I hope I'm not late and miss the group as they head out the the flight line.

When I get to Southport, there are five guys in the parking lot, I already know two of them from this winter's ground school, Gib and Kel, and meet Art, Jeff and Lloyd. Art takes me under his wing and I follow him around like a puppy. It's a beautiful CAVU morning, cool with some wind but I'm dressed well with lots of layers that I can peel off should it get warm, I got the clothing part right.

I watch Art and Gib untie the WGC Krosno training glider C-FVTI, Art shows me the proper way to open the canopy, the daily inspection checklist that must be done. Jeff heads out in the Citabria towplane, he flies over to Jonair to get fuel. VTI is towed with the ground support van over to the flight area, Jeff returns with the Citabria.

Art shows me how to strap in VTI, he takes the rear seat , closes the canopy and goes to through the pre take off checklist. I ask Gib to show me where the air sick bag is - just in case.

The tow planes fires up, Gib hooks up the tow rope, we check the tow release, do the remainer of the checks and the signal is given to launch. We bump along the runway and soon we are off the ground, Art keeps us in position behind the tow plane, the air is lumpy and bumpy. The tow plane twist and turns towing us higher, passing through 2200' agl (above ground level), the air smooths out, the view of Southport runways is amazing. We have another 800' to climb, that gives me time to take in the view and snap a few more photos, the Assinboine River Diversion at Portage is full of water, then at 3000' I pull the yellow tow rope release handle, call "rope clear and away" and instantly glider VTI becomes a magic carpet. We glide along, quiet, just the wind noise hissing along the canopy. Art get me to practice turns, I am totally uncoordinated with the rudder and ailerons but I am having to much fun to worry how poor I am doing. Art points out the seagulls circling below us, I am thrilled by their presence and would watch them four hours but Art puts me back to work doing turns. Gravity wins, we are getting lower and soon land. We repeat the process twice more, each flight is more thrilling, more exciting, this Saturday has to be a major, major CAVU day!

Dooh! the best know how to be humble!

Yesterday, aviation legend and icon Sean D. Tucker ran out of fuel and had to land his aerobatic biplane on a highway. 

Being an aviation student, I  listened with great interest to this  podcast 

interview with Sean Tucker done by AVWeb's Russ Niles at 

http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/AudioPodcast_SeanTucker_OutOfGas_200341-1.html?kw=AVwebAudio

What stood out in listening to the accurate interview done by Niles was the Mr. Tucker simply explained he made a mistake and took responsibility for his flight, no blame, no excuses. Good for u, Sean Tucker!

If you want to learn more about Sean Tucker, visit his web site at http://www.poweraerobatics.com/

THUMBS UP for a CAVU DAY!

Many, Many Road Trips

Ever been on a road trip where everything is left up to some one else and it all works out perfect, I was on one of those trips last week.

My youngest sister was a good athlete and it would follow that her sons are good hockey players, their Dad ( my sister's husband) probably had a lot to do with that, eh?

On what might be their youngest son's last game of junior hockey I decide to accompany them on a road trip to Calgary to see a couple of playoff games in the famous Saddle Dome.

One of the highlights of the trip was that their older son Zack is home from university and came on the trip too, what a great guy, tons of fun!

I also wanted an insight on Carson's four years in Calgary, being away from home. In my younger years, I could have won the world title as the most homesick kid ever, so I feel it was not easy to head off to Calgary, so how did he do it. Some day, long from now, I'll ask and find out.

Alas, it was not to be a "winning" weekend as "our team" lost both games. Hey, what the heck, it was a great weekend as I had met so many nice people on the trip and having Lena give up for room for me was a treat!

Hockey moms having hockey sons or daughters do double duty, they are there for their children to help in their everyday lives, then Mom's are there in their children's hockey lives, the nights are late, trips are long, roster cuts painful, game losses manageable, friendships made, painful memories lessen, fond memories blossom.

Glider Ground School - Seelonce Fini

13 evening of glider grounds school are done, I managed to get to 12 of the 13, I missed one when I was out of town. Initially I was not sure how I would enjoy the classes put on by the Winnipeg Gliding Club http://www.wgc.mb.ca/ . This winter I had turned into a full time cave dweller and I did not want to venture out into the cold after dark.

As it turned out the classes were a lot of fun, different volunteer instructors (all very knowledgeable) taught the different aviation related subjects and the evenings zipped by. Now for warm dry weather to dry out the glider field so that the flying portion of learning can begin - cheers!

No Big Deal

I rode my bike to work today, no big deal you say, well it was for me cause I've been thinking about doing it for a couple of years, I really wanted to start riding to work but things never fell into place until this spring, I had more reasons than the Dept. of Excuses for not doing it. This spring I just seem to have a knowing that this was the year for biking. Earlier this month, I stumbled on a new bike that being cleared out as last years model from Canadian Tire and got a great deal on it.

The ride was great, the morning was cool at -1C, the ride home a bit warmer. Princess Auto had this bright yellow safety vest for seven bucks, I want to make sure no one runs me over though I look like a "hoser". I'm using my inline skating helmet so that I can wear a thin balaclava, there was a windchill shown on the weather channel.

The route I chose takes me through Assiniboine Park, down the Wellington Ave bike trail and into down town. Park of the bike trails runs along Assiniboine River, just beautiful, an honest to goodness CAVU morning!

OGG (one great guy)

My buddy Frank and I were out flying our r/c airplanes, such a treat to start the flying season, cool but almost CAVU and the field is fairly dry.

Frank's a damm good flyer considering he only has one good eye, and now that he had cataract sugery on that eye, he flies even better.

An ex fire fighter that has been buried in a collapsed burnt building a couple of times, this guy love of life is amazing, hanging out with Frank makes any day a CAVU Day.